Events

Workshop on Financial Services to Mitigate Forced Displacement

Beirut, Lebanon

20 February 2019 9:00 am - 21 February 2019 5:00 pm EST
This event has concluded.

Lebanon and Jordan’s economies have been adversely affected by the ongoing conflict in neighboring Syria and closely-linked regional instability. Local economies are strained due to limitations in infrastructure, services, and the increased supply of informal labor. There is global consensus on financial inclusion being a tool that can accelerate achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as it helps people build resilience and seize economic growth opportunities. Today, the financial inclusion of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan is extremely low, largely due to the reticence of financial services providers to serve the market and to regulatory issues.

To this end, World Bank Group and CGAP hosted a workshop that served as a platform for discussions around insights, evidence, and potential programming surrounding financial services and crisis-affected populations. Over 100 participants attended from 20 countries representing 53 organizations spanning humanitarian agencies, financial service providers, and development institutions.

Sessions included:

  • Leveraging financial services in a crisis context;
  • Assessing humanitarian cash transfer programs through a financial inclusion and efficiency lens;
  • Implementing livelihood programs linked to financial inclusion based on the graduation model; and
  • Answering unmet financial needs of Syrians and Lebanese in Lebanon.


Related Resources

Workshop Summary >> 

Publication: The Role of Financial Services in Humanitarian Crises >>

Publication: Feasibility Study for Piloting Graduation Programs in Lebanon >>

Workshop Presentations